Richard Fourie moved up to a handy fourth position on the national jockey log when he dominated the Kenilworth Wednesday meeting, booting home five winners for four different yards on the eight race card.
With Christmas just days away, it was fittingly a day for the smaller yards to grab a slice of the cake for a change, and the rampant jockey merely added the finishing touches.
While Fourie took his season tally to 75 winners with a win strike rate of 20% and a place strike rate of 43%, as he confirmed his dream form in the Cape summer season. In the past ten days, Fourie has won ten of his last 35 rides.
Richard Fourie enjoyed a cracking day at the office (Pic -Chase Liebenberg)
“It was only Black Path’s second round and her first round the turn. Richard showed the value of his professionalism and experience. He let her find herself – he didn’t bustle or unbalance her. She is a longstriding girl and he gave her the perfect ride,” Milnerton trainer Peter Wrensch told the Sporting Post after Black Path had won the fourth.
Wrensch, a top rider himself, understands the value of having a good jockey in the saddle.
“Nobody can afford to keep slow horses anymore. So we would have wanted her to at least win in her first three starts if half as decent as we believe. And owner Archer Head knows Richard and he arranged that he partners her. So I’m thrilled with the way it panned out, “ he added.
Fourie opened his account in the first when riding the first leg of a Glen Kotzen double, when the Ridgemont Highlands-bred Rafeef filly Spywing made the expected improvement on her runner-up finish on debut to win the 1000m maiden. Candice Bass-Robinson’s The United States filly Philosophise caught the eye with a smart effort in second and must surely follow up soon.
In the second race Fourie was at the forefront again when he judged the kind pace to perfection and outstayed his three rivals on Coup De Main for Wrensch neighbour, Piet Steyn. The Coup De Grace gelding races in the familiar red and blue of veteran, Reinels Hass.
Fourie rode the second of his Kotzen winners when the Woodhill family’s Twice Over filly Official Secret confirmed her recent form improvement to win the fifth.
As he had started, Fourie ended the day with a rousing ride on Paul Reeves’ one-eyed UK-bred Adderbury Lake, who enjoyed a terrific ride to beaty the improved again Magical Java, with Treasure Hunt back in third.
Luyolo Mxothwa, who ride a winner for Lucinda Woordruff and Brett Crawford, and Aldo Domeyer, were the only other jockeys to celebrate a pre-Christmas win.
The final Cape racemeeting of the year is on Wednesday 29 January at the same venue.
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